TOKYO, April 24 (Reuters) - Canon Inc inched up its 2014 operating profit target on Thursday due to strong sales of office copiers and printers in the first quarter, and said a reshuffle of its camera line-up had also helped boost margins.

Camera sales, however, fell by 22 percent year-on-year in the quarter, as the world’s biggest camera maker struggled with the prevalence of high-quality smartphone cameras and a saturation in the high-end, single-lens-reflex camera market.

Chief Financial Officer Toshizo Tanaka told an earnings briefing that sales of pricier compact cameras had actually increased after Canon adjusted its camera production and line-up in the first quarter to meet customers’ demand for more sophisticated products.

But he said a recovery would take time.

“Determining whether we can achieve the growth we are hoping for will take some time,” Tanaka said. “Things are getting better in China and Europe, but it will take a while to see whether that will continue.”

..........<p>Camera sales, however, fell by 22 percent year-on-year in the quarter, as the world’s biggest camera maker struggled with the prevalence of high-quality smartphone cameras and a saturation in the high-end, single-lens-reflex camera market.</p>..........

Is that also the conclusion of Canon or just Reuters?

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Chief Financial Officer Toshizo Tanaka told an earnings briefing that sales of pricier compact cameras had actually increased after Canon adjusted its camera production and line-up in the first quarter to meet customers’ demand for more sophisticated products

what does that mean?

to me it looks like canon has done nothing different then the past years.new powershots, same old minimal rebel updates, a 60D update called 70D.

what has canon adjusted?

are the P&S really are more sophisticated or has canon released the 7D MK2 and nobody told me?

is he talking about the EOS M?

or is reuters mixing things up here and they talked to a fuji manager?

Chief Financial Officer Toshizo Tanaka told an earnings briefing that sales of pricier compact cameras had actually increased after Canon adjusted its camera production and line-up in the first quarter to meet customers’ demand for more sophisticated products

what does that mean?

to me it looks like canon has done nothing different then the past years.new powershots, same old minimal rebel updates, a 60D update called 70D.

what has canon adjusted?

are the P&S really are more sophisticated or has canon released the 7D MK2 and nobody told me?

Camera sales, however, fell by 22 percent year-on-year in the quarter, as the world’s biggest camera maker struggled with the prevalence of high-quality smartphone cameras and a saturation in the high-end, single-lens-reflex camera market.</p>

More like it struggled because yet with the "prevalence of high-quality smartphone cameras and saturation of the dSLR" they still for the past 2-3 years continue to focus the "majority" of their releases on more powershot, rebel, and kit lens garbage.

Doesn't make sense does it? They mention smartphone entry and saturation of dslrs yet continue to fuel product releases and resources for these markets - ignoring the upper tier segment with the exception of a 24-70 2.8 II and 200-400 1.4x and we wonder why Canon is struggling. So much for the "dual pixel innovative technology" on the 70d to save the Camera division sales...not driving it so much eh?

Smart-phones as excuse? I have only a very subjective perspective on that.

If people get a camera in their phone -- and go to FB or G+ to find out how much they use it: One would think they got hooked up with photography (not everyone of course.) But if Canon can't obviously see that this is the entry-drug and pick people up from there, they might have shift their attention a little bit. Why buy a camera that has less options?

Besides that, they make great lenses -- but it feels just very expensive to me -- compared to other companies.

The impact of camera phones on photography can't be ignored. People need a reason to buy a Canikontax camera instead of just using their iphone. I would imagine for the vast majority of people who take photographs, the camera phone is "good enough". That has to have an effect on camera manufacturers.

« Last Edit: April 25, 2014, 08:54:00 AM by AcutancePhotography »

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The impact of camera phones on photography can't be ignored. People need a reason to buy a Canikontax camera instead of just using their iphone. I would imagine for the vast majority of people who take photographs, the camera phone is "good enough". That has to have an effect on camera manufacturers.

Hardly statistically significant since my Mk III doesn't have a Flicker shortcut on it I post less.

The impact of camera phones on photography can't be ignored. People need a reason to buy a Canikontax camera instead of just using their iphone. I would imagine for the vast majority of people who take photographs, the camera phone is "good enough". That has to have an effect on camera manufacturers.

Hardly statistically significant since my Mk III doesn't have a Flicker shortcut on it I post less.

aha.... so you are more relevant than the statistics?

it shows that mobile phones are way more used for social media photo sharing then any other cameras.

and what do most people today do with their photos?exactly.... they post them on facebook, flickr and co.

most teenager don´t want an extra camera. it´s just more to carry.so yes, the statistics shows the trend.

The slowing down of sales are a sign of saturation at the top end where DSLRs are concerned the iPhone et al replaced the point & shoot cameras.

The camera makers all of them have got sloppy merely increasing MP is not really cutting it (yes I know some have Wi-Fi or GPS etc).

The sensor tech needs a big jump forwards to really give seperation and physical design needs new ideas after all modern manufacturing can more or less create any shape. As in cars niche models designed to suit wedding photographers, landscape photographers, press photographers etc. so compromises are noty made under one size fits all (DSLRs have hardly changed the basic shape since the first came out).